Master Strategies to Build a World Class Team

Meeting Presentations:

Johnny Monsarrat, founder and CEO of Turbine, Inc., Presentation

Rickland Powell, recruiter and entrepreneur, Presentation

It's easy to hire just the people you know -- and sometimes they're the best choice. But most of the time, to build a world class team you need a world class search.

How can you do that as a small business on a small budget? These startup veterans will show you how, in a format that begins as brief lectures but ends with an interactive workshop where you can ask questions and hone your skills in a supportive environment.

Learning how to find the right people to build your business, draw investment, and inspire you to the next level could be a key to your success.

 

Panelists

Johnny Monsarrat's first company sold for $160,000,000. He was founder and CEO of Turbine, Inc., where he built a team just on angel funding that got him a distribution deal with Microsoft. That deal made the company, and Turbine pioneered online video games with Asheron's Call, Lord of the Rings Online, and Dungeons & Dragons Online. Now his new company, Hard Data Factory, is based in the Boston Globe building and powers their entrepreneur calendar. He manages a virtual team that spans 6 locations in 4 countries.

Johnny has a BA and an MBA from MIT, attended Brown and Harvard, and is an award-winning public speaker. See http://eventsinsider.com  andhttp://harddatafactory.com/ .

Rickland Powell is both a recruiter and an entrepreneur. He has started or grown 16 companies, of which half have had big exits, so he knows what makes a great team. He's had executive and board member roles at Turbine, Sandstorm, Aware, and several other firms. When talent scouting VIPs in his role as a recruiter, his success comes from transforming acquaintances into real friends, thus understanding a corporation's culture and making a far better match to the job seeker. A similar approach leads him to maintain active relationships in the communities of several colleges -- even to the point of  joining and volunteering for student organizations -- all the better to find job-hunting graduating students and recent alumni. He also manages five rock bands. Seehttp://www.linkedin.com/in/rickland/ .

 

Howard Salwen is a serial entrepreneur and angel who can tell you exactly what investors look for in a team. Howard founded Proteon, also known as OpenRoute Networks, which was acquired by Netrix Corp in 1999, and served as Chairman of the Board of UltraNet Communications, which was acquired by RCN. He served as CEO and Director of Telco Systems, Inc., and on the boards of Marathon Technologies and Turbine. Howard has served as the New England chapter chairman of the IEEE Communications Society and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Network and Communication Council and its Chairman. He is currently a Trustee Emeritus of the Mass. Technology Leadership Council. He also serves as an Overseer on the Celebrity Series at The Museum of Science. He has a BSEE and MSEE from MIT. Seehttp://www.commonangels.com/members/howard-salwen/ .

 Moderator: Melissa Mellen, CEO, Wild Angel Cozy Co., www.wildangelcozy.com

Melissa started her career as Marketing Manager at The Mellen Company, a high temperature furnace manufacturing company she co-owned. For nine years she chaired a regional chapter of the American Society of Materials (ASM), and also chaired the ASM National Chapter Council, where she was recognized for outstanding leadership and nominated to the Board of Trustees. She then founded the Wild Angel Cozy Company, LLC, which produces insulation for agricultural watering devices, specializing in equine applications, and insulation solutions for shipping companies.

Melissa has personally designed and brought to production several popular products which are sold world-wide.